Speed-varying and reversing gear



Feb. 3, 1931. is. SHAW ET AL.

SPEED VARYING AND REVERSING GEAR Filed March 17.

1928 l 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 m a T M A s QM 7A QT .Q E \Q x a w bu Y Q Feb. 3, 1931. .1. s. SHAW ET AL 1,790,772

SPEED VARYING AND REVERSING' GEAR Filed March 17,. 1928 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvmvr e s: JOHN sHAw 620 265 W WATsQN WALTE-f HEAP I Wok/(mam M {M I III Feb. 3. 1931. '..l. s. SHAW ET AL SPEED VARYING AND REVERS-ING GEAR Filed March 17, '1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 3, 1931. J 5. SHAW ET AL I SIFEED VARYING AND REVERSING GEAR Filed March 17, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 /NV[NTORS- JOHN SHAW Gnome \N. WAT$ON WALTER HEAV Feb. 3, 1931. J. s. SHAW ET AL 1,790,772

SPEED VARYING AND REVERSING GEAR Filed March 17, 1928 7 sheets-sheet 5 GEORGE WA'rSoN MA WALTEQ 145/1! 2, Q mm 1 Y figs.

Feb. 3, 1931. J. sfsHAw ET AL 1,790,772

SPEED VARYING AND REVERSING' GEAR Filed March 17. 1928 7 Sheets-Shee t e 1A WOW b 1 Feb. 3, 1931. J. SHAW ET A L SPEED VARYING AND REYERSING GEAR Filed-March '17. 1-928 TSheets-Sheet 7 m Q P WWW M m/mw MSam m 0 A 6W HQE Q Patented Feb. 3,

U I D STATES Y 1 JOHN srnnmm- SHAW, or LIvnnrooL', GEORGE WILLIAM WATSON, WALT R-r HEAP', o'F-mvnnroon, ENGLAND or ennon, Ann

- sPEED-VARYING AND :envnnsnve GEAR Application nieamrch'rz, 1928, Serial No 262,40, and in Great Britain March 22, 1927.

'This invention: relates to improvements in speed varying and reversing gear for motor vehicles, and the obj ect is to provide a speedvarying gear, preferably of thetype-in' which the changes insteadofbeing made step-bystep, as in an ordinary gearbox, are made continuously, the arrangementbeing such that at a certain speed (,or speeds), all the power is transmitted through the epicyclic gear alone, and preferably with thisigear rotating en bloc. g I

According to the present invention, there is combined any suitable type of speed changing gear with an epicyclic gear including a member carrying planetary pinions, two of the members of the epicyclic gear being connected respectively tothe vehicle engine, and to'the vehicle road wheels, the third. member or part of the epicyclic gear forming-the control member, and being driven by a secondary speed varying gear interposed' between the control member and the engine driven shaft, the arrangement being such that the power transmitted from the engine driven shaft to the road wheels through the secondary speed varying gear is a portion only of the total power transmitted and such thatin a certain position or positions of the gear none of the said? power is transmittedthrough the said interposed speed changing gear.

In some arrangements of the invention the epicyclic gear comprises twomembers whlch may be co-axially disposed spur or bevel wheels, and a third member comprising a cage carrying the planetary pinions and being rotatable about the common axis; one of the members is connected to the shaft driven through the clutch by the vehicle engine; another of the members is connected tothe road Wheels through the usual differential gears; the third member is the control member adapted to be driven by. the engine driven shaft through a secondary speed changing gear preferably of the continuously variable type, by means of which the speed of the, con-,

' trol member is varied. With a uniform unidirectional rotation of the engine shaft, the

speed of the shaft driving the road wheels may, according to the invention, by varymg the speed of'the control member, be continuously changed from maximum speedin j the forward direction down to andthrough-zero to a; suitable reverse speed".v

Ipreferto arrange'the control gear so that if'the control shaftbe disconnected fromthe speed varying gear and be, left free, the engine driven: shaft, the control shaft, the control gear, the epicyclic gear and the shaft driving the road Wheels, will all rotate as a whole without relative rotary movement between the epi'cyclic. gear wheels. This gives the top or other normal speed at which the-veliicleis primarily designed to run.

' This is accomplished by arranging in the control, gear a, pair of driving elements having a comparatively high velocity ratio, such as a worm, and a Worm wheel, or a gyrating wheel and Oldham coupling and a gear wheel on Wheels driven thereby,the arrangementbeing such that whilst the high speed element which is driven by the control is adapted to drive the low speed element, the latter element is locliedagainst rotation about its own axis except when rotated by the former element; for. example, the said pair of elements may consist of a worm and Worm wheel the threads of the worm being cut at an angle less than the limitingangle of friction, so that the worm may rotate to 'drive',the' Worm wheel, the worm wheel being incapable, by rotation about itsv ownaxis to drive the worm or the said pair of elements may comprise a crank or eccentric of small throw adapted to rotate he axis of a gyrating gear wheel, which may be the high speed member of the pair, and is combined with an Oldham'eoupling or equivalent device so arranged that it, drives. the

low speedlmember in such manner that the latter is incapableby rotation about its own axis to drive the gyrating wheel.

WVith this arrangement, at the top or normal speed of the vehicle, the transmission is direct,,the whole of the gear rotating en bloc with the engine-drivenfshaft, without, power being necessarily transmitted through i the secondary speed varying gear.

If, however, rotation be impartedto the control shaft, for example, with one arrangement of gear,.at a higher speed but in thesame direction as the engine-driven shaft,

control shaft in the same direction will cause the shaft driving the road wheels to be rotated in the opposite direction, and this jace'nt the numerals.

gives the reverse.

The invention includes modifications as described and claimed herein.

The invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Figs. land 2 are diagrammatic views;

Fig. 1 'being'an elevation in section on a longitudinal medialplane and Fig. 2'being an end View partly in section.

Figs. 3 to 1 show a constructional embodiment of the arrangement diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 3 and 4 talren together form a sec tion on a longitudinal medial plane.

Figs. 5 and 6 are corresponding end elevationsin cross section on the respective lines V,'V, and VI, VI of Fig. 3. n

Figs. 7 8 and 9 are part end elevations in section on the lines VII, VII; V III, VIII; of Fig. 11, and IX, IX 5 of Fi 3.

Fig. 10 is a detail section on the line X, X; of Fi 7.

Fig. 11 is adetail in section on the line XI, XI, of Fig. 8, and

Figs. 12, 13 and 1 1 are views of the Oldham coupling. 7 ,Fig. 15 is an elevation showing a modification of the secondary speed Varying'gear.

Fig. 16 shows an application of the invention to an ordinary type of gear box.

Throughout the drawings the similar main parts in the several modifications are indicated by the same reference letter or numeral, and in the case of sections, the'plane of section is denoted by Roman numeral corresponding with the figure number of the section, and the direction in which the sections are vie ved are indicated by the arrows ad- Throughout the drawings :-A is the driving shaft rotated by the vehicle engine at an approximately constant speed, A is the member of the epicyclic gear driven by the shaft A; B is the driven shaft connected to the vehicle road wheels; B the member of the epicyclic gear driving the shaft B C the control shaft; C the control member of the epicyclic gear controlled by C; and D the secondary continuous speed varying gear.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2:

The driving shaft A rotated by the engine, is connected to the inner wheel A of the epicy clic gear, the driven shaft B connected to the road wheels being keyed to the internally toothed outer member B.

C is the control member, freely mounted i concentrically with the driving shaft A, and

ber C6 having internal teeth which gear with the external teeth of the gyrating wheel C4:

- mountedon an eccentric part 624 of the "con trol shaft G. I

C5 is an Oldhan coupling interposed between the gyrating wheel C 1 and thecasing C so as to maintain these in: fixed angular rela-- tionship. (Z10 is a friction roller driven by the discD from the driving shaft A as before. v

The eccentrically mounted gyrating wheel O4. and the Qldham coupling C5, interposed between the control member C and the controlshaft G, prevent rotation of C relatively to A if the control shaft be free to rotate at or be driven at the same speed as A.

The action isas follows: When-the wheel dlO is in such a position that the control shaft is driven at the same speed as the shaft A, the gearing rotates en'bloc without relative rotation between-the component parts of the epicyclic gear, and the shaft B is driven at the same speed as the shaft A; If in this position the disc D be raised clear ofthe wheel (Z10 the shaft C will automatically rotate at the same'speed as the shaft A by reason of thelocking action of the gyrating wheel and the Oldham coupling so that at top or normal speed the continuous speed varying gear may be put out of action.

If however the disc D be kept in contact with the wheel (Z10 and the latter be moved outwardly so as to increase the speed of rotation of C, the speed of B will be reduced, reaching Zero value, and then,,as cZlO is moved further outwardly, having its direction of rotation reversed so ing of the gear.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 1 1:

These figures illustrate a constructional embodiment of the modification illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 2, and, referring in the first instance to 3 and i, which talren'together show the general arrangement of the gear:

' A is the driving shaft rotated by the engine; on the coned part e23 at the left hand end of which shaft the inner wheel A of theepicyclic gear is secured in position by coupling of the shaft B connected to the road wheels of the vehicles; C is thecontrol member whichis a cage carrying-pairs of connected planetary pinione 625 and 026 mounted on'sleeves 027 journalled on splindles 028 carried by the cage C, the pniions 025 gearas to give reverse driving with the Wheels A}and B antl the pinions 026 gearing with the externah teeth on r the Wheel C6 freelymounted on sleeve- 629 011" the shaftAL. G4-isthegyrating'wheel the external teeth of which gear; witlrthe 1 internal teeth onthewhee'l'Cfil The gyrating Wheel-is mounted on an eccentric part 02% formed on thecontrol-shaft C sothat as the latter shaft rotates'the centre of the gyr'atin'g wheel is" rotated I v C is an Oldham coupling interposed be tween the'cage G and the gyrating wheelCl;

- mounted-"on the spindle- 028 carried by the cage;which planetarywheels gear with the centre Wheel A and the internally toothed wheelB. Fig.6 shows theplanetary pinions GQG'attached to the planetary .vheels 025,. and ejearin g with the external teeth' of the member G6, with the internal teeth of whichmernher C6 the teeth of thegyratingwheel c'en:

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view the central portion of Fig. 6, and shows the member G6, and the gyrating wheel ('15 mounted on the eccentric 024: The gyrating wheel has two projections 050, and these (seeFig. engage'one of the slots 051' of the Oldhain coupling The casing C has projections :52 (see Fig. 11') which engage with the other slot 053 of the Oldham' coupling. The-Oldham coupling thus permits the rotation of the centre of the gyrating wheel relatively to the casing whilst maintaining tionship.

The free wheel device for preventing rotation of the casing C in one direction relatively to the control shaft C may consistofany of the usual known 'freo-Wheel devices. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 9 inclines 054- are formed on a collar 055 attached to the shaft C, and rollers c56engaging the inclines and'the bore 057 of the casing C prevent the rotation of the latter, in the direction of the arrow, relatively to the control shaft C.

Roller or ball bearings 1 arcinterposedhe tween a journal on the Wheel A and the coupling 7210 of the shaft B; and ball or roller bearings 2 are interposed between the cage C and ajournalled portion of the wheel A. Roller or ball bearings 3' are interposed between the cage C and ajourna'l on thecontrol shaft C.

The shaft A is jonrnalled in bushes 4 and l" fitting the interior 'of the control shaft C.

The whole of the gear is enclosed in a fixed casing E which is bolted to the chassis of the vehicle ball or roller bearings-5 and ball:

the gyrating Wheel and the casing in fixed angular relawith the mitrewhe'eldlQ, made integralnwith:

or'at'tached totjhe spindle dll 'to whicli the' disc'Diskeye'd or :spliriecl. The boss (Z15, of the disc D' is: carried' hy roller or ball bearings 7" and ball hearings 8 from a-casing (Z16 rotating'inthehore -61 of the boss @9- carried by the 'main casing Ell which is rigidlyconnected to the casing E (Figl'3).

A. portion ofithis boss e2is screw threadedi at 63 totake corresponding scrowi threads (517 formed on the casing dl6.

When therefore the casing (Z 16 isrot'ated it is'rnovedaxially and raises the-dise Dent of contact with the Wheel (Z10, axial movement of the spindle dl'l and bevelzwheel (Z12 heing'" prevented by" the hall race 9 by which the bevel wheel is ournalled into the: enclosi ng casing E which also carries ball or'roller races 10 to'support this end of the shaft A which passes-out of the casingE and" is con-- nected to the engine clutch memberuof the vehicle. p

' Glands l1 are'fitted as required to preventleakage' of oil.

The Oldham' conplingt Of) by preventing:

the gyrating wheel C4 from: rotating. about its own axis relatively to'the cage G, causes the gyrating wheel, by rotation of its centre by the control shaft xtoerotate thewheelGG, and as the planetary pinions' 026 gear vitha the external teethof: the wheel C6 and are fixed to the planetary pinions025 engaging the teeth of thedriving wheel A and of the drivenwheel B, it willhe seensthat the speed of the cage and the planc-tary pinions'on their axes, and thereforethe rotation of the 7 wheel B is detcrininedwby, thespeed of the control shaft C which drives-the gyrating wheel. stated", when the control shaft rotates at. the same speed as the shaft 13'. the direct drive is transmitted} without relative" rotation between the planetary pinionsandv the'wheels gearing with: them. 1

Fig. 15 illustrates a- COHtinLTOUSly, variable control gear which may be substituted for the speed varying gear shown in any of the modifications descrihedi H is a concd roller feathered on the shaft A and pressed bylil spring hl bearing against a collar i610 fixed to the shaftiA, towards an; axially adjustable abutment 7L2; an operating sleeve 17: 3 being'inferposed' and moving with C is the control shaft, 71.4 a bevel wheel keyedl'to the control shaft gearing with the bevel wheel h'keyed-to the shaft k6 which iscarried in fixed bearings so as to lie parallel the wheel h? is'adapted to be moved axially by means engaging \vitlrthe groove 7L8.

In the position shown the shaft C is 1'0- tated at the desired maximum speed, which speed may continuously bereduced by. moving the frictionwheelit? along the featherway in 7L6. Should it be desired to put the speedvarying gear out of operation, and

leave the control shaft C free, the cone H is, by means of the sleeve k3, moved axially to the left against the spring h l freeing the wheel h? from the rotating cone II. Wear between the members'H and/l7 is compensated for by'axial movement of the adjustable abutment 722 to the right, such abut ment being fixed in position by a tightening screw h9.

The gearing between the control shaft and the control member incthe various modifications may, by fitting an idle wheel, be so arranged that when the control shaft rotates at the same speed as the driving shaft, a straight-through drive is obtained as described, but that as the control shaft is slowed down the speed of the epicyclic member driving the road wheels is slowed down, this member giving the desired reverse speed when the control shaft is stopped, orrotating slowly. In this case the secondary speed control gear would be arranged to vary the speed of the control member from that equal to and in the same direction as the driving shaft, to the desired minimum speed to give the reverse.

Instead of employing a speed varying gear of the continuously variable type the speed varying gear maybe of the ordinary stepby-step type such as is obtained by the employment of an ordinary gear box.

This arrangement is shown in Fig. 16 in which K is a gear box through which the shaft A passes, and in-which there is a lay shaft 701 having sets of gear wheels mounted on a sliding bush, which gear by sliding the bush, may be made to give in various combinations with corresponding sets of gear wheels keyed to the shaft A. The lay shaft 701 which it is assumed always rotates inv a direction opposite to that of A, at any one of the desired speeds, is, connected by the gear wheels 7:2, keyed to the lay shaft, and

it?) keyed to the control shaft C, which may be the control shaft in any of the modifica-' tions described.-

The details of construction may be varied in accordance with the type of vehicle to which the invention is applied, the speeds to be controlled and the power to be transmitted.

Having now fullydescribed our invention for a motor vehicle, in combination ;an;epi-

cyclic gearcomprising two'members which are adapted, respectively, to be driven by the I drivin shaft and to drive the driven shaft, a control member formmg part of the sald gear, a control shaft mounted on the driving 7 shaft; secondary variable speed changing gears-between the control shaft and driving shaft; a gyrating gear wheel mounted on an eccentric part of the control shaft, and means between the gyrating gear wheel and a part of the apparatus separate therefrom which whilst permitting rotation of the gear wheel centre prevent rotation of the gear wheel relatively to the said part; and a gear wheel driven by the gyrating gear wheel and geared the said control member of the epicyclic gear. I

2. In a speed changing and reversing gear.

for a motor vehicle, in combination ;an epicyclic gear two members of which, are adapted, respectively, to be driven by the vehicle engine, and to drive the vehicle road wheels, and a control member forming part the said ear a control shaft secondar changing gear by which the driving shaft drives the control member through the control shaft; a gyrating wheel journalled on an eccentric part of the control shaft; an Oldham coupling device connecting the gyrating wheel to one of the members of the epicyclic gear; a gear wheel mounted concentrically with the control member; and a free wheel device interposed between the control shaft and one of theelements of the epicyclic gear.

3. In a speed changing and reversing gear for motor vehicles, in combination a driving shaft; a spur wheel connected to the driving shaft; an internally toothed spur wheel adapted to drive the vehicle road wheels; an externally and internally toothed wheel mounted concentrically about the driving shaft; a control shaft; secondary continuously variable speed changing gear connecting the driving shaft to the control shaft; a gyrating wheel rotatably mounted on an eccentric part of the control shaft, the teeth of the gyrating wheel gearing with the internal teeth of the internally andextcrnally toothed wheel; a cage rotatable about I wheel to the cage; substantially as described. 4. In a speed changingand reversing gear,

in combination ;-an eplcyclic gear one of the members of which is connected to the driven shaft and another member of which is a controlling member; a control shaft; speed varying gears through which the control shaft is driven by the driving shaft; a coacting pair of driving elements interposed between the control shaft and the control member and adapted to permit the rotation of the control member by the rotation of the control shaft, but to lock the control member against rotation about its own axis except when it is rotated by the control shaft; and a free-wheel device interposed between the control shaft and one of the elements of the epicyclic gear; substantially as described.

5. In speed changing and reversing gear for a motor vehicle, in combination ;an epicyclic'gear comprising planetary pinions mounted in a rotatable cage, a gear wheelfixed to the driving shaft and gearing with the planetary pinions, and a gear wheel fixed to the driven shaft and gearing with the planetary pinions; a control shaft mounted co-axially with the driving shaft; speed varying gear through which the control shaft is driven by the driving shaft; a gyrating spur wheel mounted eccentrically on the control shaft and gearing witha spur wheel mounted concentrically with the control shaft; spur gearing connecting a last mentioned spur wheel to the planetary pinions;

and an Oldham coupling device connecting the gyrating wheel to the cage.

6. In apparatus as claimed in claim 3, a free-wheel device interposed between the control shaft and one of the elements of the epicyclic gear;'substantially. as described.

7. In apparatus as claimed in claim 5, a free-wheel device interposed between the control shaft and one of the elements of the epicyclic gear; substantially as described.

Intestimony whereof, we have set our hands. 7

JOHN STANDEN SHAW. WALTER HEAP. I

GEORGE WILLIAM WATSON. 

